Driving is already dangerous enough, having to watch out for reckless or negligent drivers; adds construction and confusing detours because of the construction into the mix, and driving can get downright stressful.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, 24,745 deaths occurred from 1982-2014 in work zone crashes (this is about 750 per year). The peak year for work zone deaths was 2002 when 1,186 people died in construction and maintenance zones but have since declined to an average of 591 per year. However, the construction and work zones on roads are still not completely safe for workers or for drivers.
So, what are some of the things that drivers and construction workers should watch out for in construction zones? Here are some of the biggest causes of road construction accidents.
REAR-END CRASHES
When a construction zone is coming up, there are likely lots of signs and maybe even workers up ahead helping direct traffic. Because of all this activity, much of the traffic is stop and go. If a driver isn’t paying attention during this stop-and-go traffic, then there’s an increased risk of a rear-end crash if they are following too closely and don’t see the car in front of them stop.
MISPLACED SIGNS OR CONES
It is the responsibility of the construction crew to ensure they are doing everything they can to keep drivers safe by putting up signs that indicate how traffic should flow and any alerts that the driver needs to know about. If drivers aren’t being led properly through traffic because of a misplaced sign or cone, this can potentially lead to an accident.
CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS LITTERING THE ROAD
Where there’s construction there’s likely going to be a lot of debris left behind. This is certainly true of road construction, but it can be very dangerous if drivers are accidentally running into construction debris that they’re not expecting. Hitting debris can cause drivers to panic and lose control of the vehicle, or swerve to miss it, which could cause an accident with another vehicle. Construction crews should be careful to clean up any debris that’s been littered across the road to help drivers stay safe.
Have you or a loved one been injured in a road construction accident in Georgia? A driver or construction company’s negligence may mean that you are entitled to compensation for your injuries. Call the Fry | Goehring at (404) 948-3571 to learn more about whether pursuing legal action makes sense for you.
